Trish C
Well-Known Member
Finally managed to have my first lesson in about three months today! I went away to Japan in October for 10days, came back and got on Monty Knobberts... and he bucked me straight off again! He wasn't lame to see but had chiro out to him immediately (she happened to be coming that evening anyways) and sure enough he'd damaged his stifle. So a long period of rest followed, then gentle lunging/groundwork to build him back up again.
When I was ready to get back on, he threw a shoe
Jillian (sheep) came to ride him in December, I schooled him a couple of times then the weather turned so between that, one thing and another, today was my first 'proper' day back on him.
Day didn't start off too well with three dramas that resulted in a yard full of very unsettled, wired horses! YO (with whom I was sharing the lesson) and I contemplated whether we should be even contemplating getting on the horses with the day as it had been, but we eventually giggled our way through it and into the lesson.
Knobberts settled fairly quickly after a bit of a hairy moment when I got on, but then once he was working he only had a few moments of tank-age, one sneaky twisty-buck in left canter, and the odd moment of contemplating a nap towards the gate or YO's horse. In fairness to him though, whenever I asked him firmly to go, he did so with minimal fighting - an improvement from before the break where we were having regular fights about him napping towards other horses.
Super-instructor was brilliant as ever, we did lots of transitions, worked on getting him using his back-end. Lots of changes of bend, flexion, working on getting me riding more leg-hand and supporting him more in corners. Transitions between and within paces, then leg-yielding. She said he looks to be softer over his back and in the contact since his time off, and he definitely felt it
Photo quality not amazing and camera died after a relatively short while so no pics of canterwork... but probably a good thing cos it wasn't great!
CC - with the emphasis on constructive - welcome, but I know I have loads to work on. This was my first time riding properly in 3months and I definitely know it! My hands, which are normally quite good, had a mind of their own today, but my leg position looks a bit better than the last time I saw pics of myself. Basically, I'm a complete numpty but I am trying to improve!
Pootling around trying to remember how to ride at all...
Having a stretch
Mild tankage when YO's horse approached...
Then we worked on pushing him on down the long side, half-halt, then balancing for the corner...
Prob my favourite pic of the day... if you can see through the fence rails, actually showing proper extension, woop!
And he showed signs of self-carriage in trot
So all-in-all still absolutely loads to work on til I'm even half-decent, but am happy with how he's come back. Hopefully we're back on track now
Am on a diet to lose another 2 stone so can only offer boring healthy food
When I was ready to get back on, he threw a shoe
Jillian (sheep) came to ride him in December, I schooled him a couple of times then the weather turned so between that, one thing and another, today was my first 'proper' day back on him.Day didn't start off too well with three dramas that resulted in a yard full of very unsettled, wired horses! YO (with whom I was sharing the lesson) and I contemplated whether we should be even contemplating getting on the horses with the day as it had been, but we eventually giggled our way through it and into the lesson.
Knobberts settled fairly quickly after a bit of a hairy moment when I got on, but then once he was working he only had a few moments of tank-age, one sneaky twisty-buck in left canter, and the odd moment of contemplating a nap towards the gate or YO's horse. In fairness to him though, whenever I asked him firmly to go, he did so with minimal fighting - an improvement from before the break where we were having regular fights about him napping towards other horses.
Super-instructor was brilliant as ever, we did lots of transitions, worked on getting him using his back-end. Lots of changes of bend, flexion, working on getting me riding more leg-hand and supporting him more in corners. Transitions between and within paces, then leg-yielding. She said he looks to be softer over his back and in the contact since his time off, and he definitely felt it
Photo quality not amazing and camera died after a relatively short while so no pics of canterwork... but probably a good thing cos it wasn't great!
CC - with the emphasis on constructive - welcome, but I know I have loads to work on. This was my first time riding properly in 3months and I definitely know it! My hands, which are normally quite good, had a mind of their own today, but my leg position looks a bit better than the last time I saw pics of myself. Basically, I'm a complete numpty but I am trying to improve!
Pootling around trying to remember how to ride at all...
Having a stretch
Mild tankage when YO's horse approached...
Then we worked on pushing him on down the long side, half-halt, then balancing for the corner...
Prob my favourite pic of the day... if you can see through the fence rails, actually showing proper extension, woop!
And he showed signs of self-carriage in trot
So all-in-all still absolutely loads to work on til I'm even half-decent, but am happy with how he's come back. Hopefully we're back on track now
Am on a diet to lose another 2 stone so can only offer boring healthy food
